With the discretion that has always characterized his most personal gestures, Leo Messi has returned to Barcelona… and to Camp Nou. The Argentine footballer, currently playing for Inter Miami, surprised this Monday with a publication on his social networks in which he is seen touring the renovated stadium, still under construction and partially reopened to the public.
What appeared to be a simple sentimental visit turned into a gesture charged with symbolism and emotion, as the star took advantage of the occasion to send a message with an obvious emotional – and critical – charge towards the FC Barcelona board and, in particular, its president, Joan Laporta.
“I came back to a place I miss with my soul.”
In his message, Messi not only recalled his time at the club, but also hinted at the open wound of his abrupt departure in 2021, when he had to leave Barça in tears due to the impossibility of renewing his contract. “Last night I returned to a place I miss with my soul. A place where I was immensely happy, where you made me feel a thousand times the happiest person in the world,” the footballer wrote.
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The text, accompanied by several images of the player at the new Camp Nou (still wearing a construction helmet and dimmed lights), continues with a wish that resonates among the fans: “I hope one day I can return, and not only to say goodbye as a player, as I could never do it…”.
These words have been interpreted as a hint to Joan Laporta, whom the Argentine partly blames for the way in which he left the club.
A farewell that never happened
In August 2021, Messi said goodbye to FC Barcelona in an emotional press conference, without being able to do so on the pitch and in front of his fans. At the time, the club cited economic reasons and the limitations of LaLiga’s “financial fair play” to justify his departure.
The player himself said at the time that he had done everything possible to stay, even accepting a 50% salary reduction, but Barça was unable to enter him in the competition.
That farewell left a deep sense of injustice in both the player and the fans. Since then, Messi has not played at Camp Nou again, although he has repeatedly expressed his desire to have a farewell to match his 17 years of glory at the club. “I always said that I would like to say goodbye to the people as I deserve, as the history we had together deserves,” the Argentine said in an interview last year.
The pending dream: a farewell with the fans
During his time at Barça, Leo Messi won 35 titles, including 10 La Liga titles, 4 Champions League and 7 Copa del Rey, in addition to multiple individual awards. His legacy transcends numbers: he was the leader of a golden generation that marked an era in world soccer.
However, the player himself has insisted that the lack of an official farewell was a thorn in his side. “It was very hard to leave like that. I couldn’t say goodbye the way I wanted to, with the people in the stadium,” the player admitted after signing for Inter Miami.
His unexpected return to the Camp Nou has reignited the debate about the tribute that the fans have been calling for for years. Many fans believe that Barça owes a moral debt to its greatest player in history, and that the reconstruction of the stadium would be the perfect scenario to settle it.
Messi and the eternal bond with Barcelona
Although his career continues in the United States, Messi has maintained an emotional and family bond with Barcelona, the city where he lived for more than two decades. His wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, and his children continue to visit the city frequently, and the player himself maintains his residence in Castelldefels.
In addition, his relationship with former teammates such as Busquets and Jordi Alba, with whom he shares a dressing room at Inter Miami, keeps the Blaugrana spirit alive in his day-to-day life.
